Thanksgiving Month, Day 10: Thanksgiving Day

(Click on the picture to see the detail ...)

It has, in many respects, been a tough year. There has been much change, some worry, a little heartache. All three generations represented have had to come to terms with what might be called the new normal in many aspects of our lives.

Arriving for the celebration!

And yet, as we came together in Calgary and gathered around Paul's and Bronwyn's beautifully appointed table this afternoon, there was so very much to be thankful for:


We are all still here, and we have a wonderful new addition to our family, Craig's fiancee, Kelsey.

The table was a work of art ...

We all have roofs over our heads, food on our tables.


We have the privilege of living in Canada, with health care, education, transportation, political stability.

Paul and Bronwyn working together for us

We are free to vote.


We are free to worship God.

The spirit of Mum and the Spirit of Light
pervaded the room

We are free to express our opinions and to know that each of them is valid.






We have unlimited access to music, to books.


We live in a place with uncluttered, soaring, natural beauty all around us.


We have friends who care for us and have our backs.


We have the power to change and to effect change.


We know the One Who never changes, Who knows us yet loves us still.

Happy Thanksgiving!

And so we gathered and gave thanks, and then enjoyed a spectacular Thanksgiving feast:

When we had finished eating we had some time to chat, to walk, to snooze, to jump on the trampoline.


Just before dessert, Bronwyn gathered us all together. She got Elliot to sing, a moving interpretation of Thank you for giving to the Lord - I am so glad you gave.


And then she began to speak. In front of her she had a brass tray on which were arranged various pieces of clay shards, the result of shattering a flower pot. She spoke of how anyone passing by and seeing these pieces would just think, ah, a worthless broken pot; or they might not even notice the jagged little pieces lying there. 


But just watch what can happen when these same pieces are touched by an artist's hand, she said ...


She got each of us to choose a piece and then handed out pens and asked us to write or draw some thing or things for which we were thankful this year.


And magic happened!


We went around in alphabetical order and shared what we had written. Those blank, seemingly worthless pieces of clay had been transformed into art, an exquisite exhibition of our hearts.


We saw how brokenness can become beauty, how disappointments can be mined for gems (Luke even took his new sister's shard and, with his power tools, shaped it into a diamond for her!), how what seems to be of no value turns into treasure. 


What Paul wrote, on the front and back of his shard, captured the essence of the moment, the truth of the exercise:





















And the table became an altar of thanks giving.

Offerings of thanks